Шмот 21:2 Галаха: Mishneh Torah, Slaves, The Sabbath Epistle, Sefer HaChinukh & Mishneh Torah, Positive Mitzvot

A Hebrew servant that is spoken of in the Torah, is a Jew that court of law sold against his will or sold himself of his own will. How so? ...

12. The following rules apply when a servant's master dies. If the master is survived by a son, the servant must serve the son until the conclusion of the six years, until the conclusion of the years for which he sold himself, until the Jubilee year, or until he deducts the money for the years he worked and pays the remainder. If, however, the master is not survived by a son, the servant is granted his freedom. He need not serve a surviving daughter or the deceased's brother. Needless to say, he need not serve other heirs. When a servant is sold to a convert or a gentile, he is not required to serve even his master's son. Instead, when his master dies, he attains his freedom. Thus, a Hebrew servant can be acquired through the transfer of money or a bill of sale, and can acquire his freedom through one of five means: a) the conclusion of his years of servitude, b) the advent of the Jubilee year, c) by paying money, an amount reduced in consideration of the years he worked, d) through being given a bill of release, and e) through the death of the master without a son, or if the master is a gentile or a convert, even if he is survived by a son. It is a mitzvah to tell a servant: "Go out," at the time of his release. Nevertheless, even if his master does not tell him this, the servant attains his freedom without any cost. Nor is a bill of release required. Even if he had been sick and his master spent much on his medical expenses, the servant has no obligations to the master, as implied by Exodus 21:2: "He shall go free at no charge."

We also find written⁸³ Ibn Ezra now proceeds to show that for some matters the year begins with the month of Tishre. Here he seems to be countering the Karites, who did not accept the first of Tishre as Rosh haShana. The Karites argued that there is no Scriptural basis for the first of Tishre being anything other than a day when work is forbidden (Leviticus 23:23–25) and special sacrifices are offered (Numbers 29: 1–5). The Karites began the year for all religious matters with the first of Nisan. with regard to Tabernacles “at the turn of the year” (Exodus 34:22), and also “at the departure of the year” (ibid. 23:16). Now the same day when one year ends a new year begins. We also find that God instructed us in a law of Haqhel, when the entire Torah is read during the holiday of Tabernacles of a Sabbatical year (Deuteronomy 31:10–13). There it is written “in order that they may learn” (ibid. 31:12). It is not likely that this took place after half a year.⁸⁴ Thus, Haqhel certainly took place at the beginning of a Sabbatical year, indicating that a Sabbatical year began around the time of Tabernacles. Do not be perplexed by the word “At an end (miqqez) of seven years” (ibid. 31:10),⁸⁵ The verse concerning Haqhel reads: “At the end of seven years, in the time of the Sabbatical year, on the holiday of Tabernacles,” which seems to indicate that the celebration of Haqhel took place at the conclusion of the Sabbatical year and the beginning of the eighth year. for we similarly find “At an end (miqqez) of seven years you shall send forth, each man his brother” (Jeremiah 34:14).⁸⁶ We know that servants were set free after six years (Exodus 21:2). Thus “miqqez” must here refer to the beginning of the seventh year. Similarly for Haqhel, the word “miqqez” means “beginning” rather than “end.” For each thing has two edges, a front edge and a back edge. The Sabbatical year began with Tishre,⁸⁷ Here Ibn Ezra refutes the Karites who began the Sabbatical year with Nisan. (See Ibn Ezra’s commentary to Leviticus 25:20.) which is the seventh month, since then the half year of planting began. Thus it states regarding the Sabbatical year “do not plant” (Leviticus 25:4), and “You shall plant on the eighth year” (ibid. 25:22).